Mr. Dayton to Mr.
Seward
No. 300.]
Paris,
April 20, 1863.
Sir: In answer to my communication to Mr.
Drouyn de l’Huys that the confederate privateer Japan was probably on
the French coast or in a French port, &c., I received from him, on
Saturday night, a communication from the head of the marine department,
of which the accompanying paper is a translation.
It would seem that they have acted promptly, and have learned that the
steamer in question, after approaching the coast, was engaged with
another in the transhipment of boxes; and both, afterwards, in bad
condition, put to sea.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State,
&c.
[Translation.]
The Minister of Marine to
M. the Minister of Foreign
Affairs
M. le Ministre and Dear Colleague: You have
done me the honor to inform me, in consequence of a communication
from M. the minister of the United States, that a confederate
corsair has been equipped in England, at Greenock, under the name
Japan, since changed to that of Virginia; that this vessel received
from a screw steamer, by the name of Alar, arms and munitions of
war; that a serious accident occurring on board has very recently
obliged the Japan or Virginia to take refuge, in order to proceed to
urgent repairs, in some bay or on some point of the coast of France,
near St. Malo; and that, in fine, M. the minister of the United
States is apprehensive lest this vessel may profit by the stop which
it will make upon our coasts in order there to complete its crew, or
there to procure munitions of war.
Conformably to the desire that you express to me concerning it, I
hastened to bring the above information to the knowledge of MM. the
maritime prefects of the 1st and 2d arrondissements in giving them
the order to make, without delay, the necessary investigations, in
order to verify the exactitude of the facts above mentioned, and to
transmit immediately to me, by telegraph, the information which they
shall have been able to collect upon this subject.
Accept, &c., &c.,
[Page 729]
P. S.—I have just this instant been notified that the ships which
had appeared suspicious approached Conquet. A guard-boat, sent
in order to reconnoitre them, was able to learn, through the
pilots, that one of them was called the Japan. They appeared to
be making a transshipment of cases; but these two ships, which
seemed to be in a bad condition, have stood out to sea.
